


The One you feed.

by LittleSliceOfBread



Category: Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Cherokee, F/M, Flashback, Friendship, Gen, Native America - Freeform, kid!Daryl
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-28
Updated: 2013-03-28
Packaged: 2017-12-06 19:26:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,506
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/739255
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LittleSliceOfBread/pseuds/LittleSliceOfBread
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"My son, there is a battle between two wolves inside us all"<br/>Daryl reflects on one afternoon in his childhood when he learns about the Cherokee roses and how Carol changed him, for the better.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The One you feed.

**Author's Note:**

> Hi for art I am doing a culture modular and I have picked to do native American clan as my culture I found this story and it inspired this. 
> 
> here is the original story if you are interested  
> http://m.joyreactor.com/post/521282  
> FYI-not the website i used but it is the same story. Enjoy.

A warm breeze blew through the humid air of Georgia. It brought a few seconds of brief refreshment to those who had been in the beating sun all day. But as the breeze pasted the relief was gone and the sun beaten more heat upon their heads.  
Daryl was sat on a patch of bone dry grass in the prison. He had came back from a successful hunt not so long ago and had starting preparing the meat.  
His game lay at his feet while he started to remove the fur from one of the six rabbits he had caught. He relished this time he got to his self. Sure he enjoyed pulling his wait around the prison. He pulled more than his fair share but sometimes things were just too much. Everybody has their thing now.  
Beth has her plants, well they were still technically seedlings, but she tended to them each day since Glenn brought home the packets of multi-seeds from a supply run and she talks and sings to them. Glenn had Maggie and they did their amorous activities. Even Hersel did his thing when he wanted alone time, he wrote down in laymens terms his knowledge of medicine on the back or reports or paper from the many offices found in the prison.  
Sitting in the hot sun blazing sun while skinning his game or gutting the odd fish he manage to catch with some wire and worm. Was Daryl's thing. But he was never alone. No. Carol always sat near him, pulling grass from the roots. Talking to him or sitting in a comfortable silence. What ever she did she was always there when Daryl had his peace time. But Daryl's peace time quickly spiraled into their peace time.  
"Daryl? Can I ask you something?"Carol asked as she sat crossed knees joining daisies to make a chain which she would later lay on T-dog's grave.  
Daryl glanced up at her. She wasn't looking at him, she was sat concentrating on the chain in her hand.  
"y'all gonna ask anyway, ain't gonna matter if a' say no"Daryl muttered, which was true, Carol was the only person who would ask even if Daryl said no, but that didn't mean he always gave an answer.  
"How did you know that story about the Native American mothers and the Cherokee roses?"she asked her voice was soft and gentle like always.  
******flashback********  
Will Dixon stumbled through the small house, knocking over the table in the living room that held multiple bottles of beer. His face was red caused by a mix or drink and anger. How the fuck did his team lose to the Dallas Cowboys. $600 down the drain third bet he had lost this months.  
"Boy get your ass down 'ere"Will yeld through the house. It was the kid's fault, both his kids brought him nothing but misery. It was there fault his wife has burnt the previous house down. If they didn't make her so stressed, she wont have been ill therefore she wont have been smoking in bed during the day leading to the fire. Now they are stuck in this crap shack.  
Thirteen year old Daryl heard his father call him. There was no other 'boy' in this house Merle had left after his momma died. Daryl's heart sped up, he couldn't take another beating today his back hurt something fierce from two nights ago when he spilt a couple of water and Will decided he need a good hiding.  
"Boy come fuckin' 'ere"called the booming voice again sounding louder as it came closer to his bedroom.  
In a blaze of panic Daryl climbed out the window, he was thankful the house was a only one story and fled into the woods.  
Daryl has no idea how long he had been walking or where he was heading. He knew he was walking north but he had no fixed destination, just away from his father. But it was getting dark now and he was lost. He had been lost before, he could find his way home again.  
"are you lost son?"asked a deep male voice. Daryl whirled around and saw a tall man. His dark hair was pulled back into a plait. Daryl found this odd. Only girls wore plaits. But then Daryl remember this man an American Indian. His father yeld and swore about a family who had just moved here who were native American.  
"yes sir"Daryl whispered, ducking his head, he was close to tears. This man was going to hurt him. Daryl had listened to his father and Mere rant on about these type of people. People who weren't white. How they 'hurt and killed us white people, jealous of our inferiority'. His father's words echoed through his head.  
"no need to fear me son. I won't harm you. Would you like help getting home?"he asked. Daryl mutely nodded.  
"alright this way"The man said nodding east, no wonder he was lost Daryl thought.  
.o0o.  
"your one of the Dixon boys aren't you?"Daryl nodded to the man's question. The journey was taking longer than it should. The man kept stop and picking white flowers.  
"why are ya picking 'em?"Daryl asked curious.  
"these are Cherokee flowers, they are for my wife"explained the man handing a single flower to Daryl to see.  
"if there for ya wife, why don't ya get 'er one from the gas station?"Daryl asked studying the flower it wasn't the prettiest of things.  
"because this is a Cherokee rose, The Cherokee were driven from their homelands in North Carolina and Georgia over 100 years ago when gold was discovered in their lands. The journey known as the "Trail of Tears". It was a terrible time for the people - many died from the hardships and the women wept. The old men knew the women must be strong to help the children survive so they called upon the Great One to help their people and to give the mothers strength. The Great One caused a plant to spring up everywhere a Mother's tears had fallen upon the ground on the journey. He told the old men that the plant would grow quickly, then fall back to the ground and another stem would grow. The plant would have white blossoms, a beautiful rose with five petals and gold in the center for the greed of the white man for the gold on their land. This is a flower of hope"The man explained, so much passion was in his vice. Passion and pride. "I am giving these to my wife because our son has joined the army and she worries greatly for him"  
"how do ya know all that?"asked Daryl fasinated with the story.  
"because son I descend from the Cherokee my family goes back into the Aniwaya clan" Daryl watched the man with rapid attention.  
"tell me more"  
"as much as I would love to share my heritage with a young man like yourself, we are nearing you street"the man said his face sad almost worried for the boy he had helped from the forest. "your father ain't gonna like that you were speaking to me" the man turned to leave, but turned one last time.  
"I am going to tell you a story.  
An old Cherokee told his grandson, "my son, there is a battle between two wolves inside us all. One is evil. It is anger, jealousy, greed,inferiority,lies and ego. The other is good. It is joy, peace, love, hope,humility, kindness, empathy and truth" The boy thought about it and asked "Grandfather which wolf wins?" The old man quietly replied "the one you feed" do you understand the story son?"asked the man.  
"no sir"Daryl shook his head not understanding the story but enjoying it none the less.  
"I am saying to you son, You are not like William Dixon the man you call father or your brother Merle Dixon. You are your own man do not let them force feed the evil wolf with in"  
*********end flashback*************  
Daryl looked over at Carol who was smiling at her work. Sun beating on to her face making her look more youthful. It was days like this Daryl wanted to kill Ed all over again. Days like this, finding the Cherokee roses reminded his of the man that helped him when he was 13. He always felt bad looking back realising he had managed to let Merle and his father feed the Evil wolf with in him. But it was Carol who feed his wolf, she feed it love and care and the wolf had defeated the evil wolf for now. For now the good wolf was superior.  
"hey Daryl"  
"yeah"  
"think it is about time we go in it is getting cold"Carol said getting up and dusting of her pants. "after all you did bring home a feast tonight"Carol teased looking at all the game he had skinned.

**Author's Note:**

> Hey What did you guys think? BTW I am not Native American I am not even American.  
> Please leave a Kudos or a Comment. Tell me how I did please that would be so awesome if you did. PLEASE.


End file.
